1. Academic Programs
  2. Master’s Programs
  3. Master of Environmental Management — MEM
  4. MEM Specializations
  5. Climate Change Science and Solutions Specialization

Climate Change Science and Solutions Specialization

Human-induced climate change is one of the main drivers of the Anthropocene. The physical science of the earth's climate and its sensitivity to pollution is remarkably complex and an area of intense study. The resulting perturbations to the earth system permeate through and impact ecological and human systems.

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    Note that a capstone course used to fulfill the MEM capstone requirement cannot also be used toward fulfilling an MEM Specialization requirement; a capstone course taken once cannot be used to fulfill multiple requirements. Learn more about YSE capstone courses by visiting the MEM Capstone page.

    Program Courses

    Core

    Two required courses.
    Course Fall 2023 Spring 2024 Fall 2024 Spring 2025
    ENV 630
    The Physical Science of Climate Change         		  Raymond
    Tu,Th 10:30-11:50    		   Raymond
    ENV 840
    Climate Change Policy and Perspectives         		Klee
    M,W 1:00-2:20    		   Klee  

    Elective

    Students must complete four elective courses, one of which must be from the “Practicums and Seminars” bin. The remaining three courses may come from any of the four bins.

    Climate Mitigation

    Course Fall 2023 Spring 2024 Fall 2024 Spring 2025
    ENV 568
    Geoengineering in the Context of Climate Overshoot (Fall-1 Aug 28-Oct 11)         		Smith
    W 4:00-6:50    		   Smith  
    ENV 610
    Managing Ecosystems for Climate Change Solutions         		Brando
    Tu 9:00-11:50    		   Brando  
    ENV 614
    GHG Accounting: Practical Methods         		  White
    Tu 2:30-3:50    		        
    ENV 623
    The Role of Methane in Global Climate Disruption: The Search for Solutions         		Malone
    M 2:30-5:20    		          
    ENV 624
    The Science, Policy, and Management of GHG Removal Strategies         		Saiers
    W 9:00-11:50    		          
    ENV 635
    Renewable Energy Project Finance         		  Gross
    Tu,Th 9:00-10:20    		   Gross
    ENV 696
    YFF:Tribal Forestry: Understanding Current Issues & Challenges in Contemporary & Traditional Management of Forested Landscapes         		  Dunning
    Th 12:00-1:50    		        
    ENV 716
    Renewable Energy         		  Oristaglio
    M,W 9:00-10:15    		   Oristaglio
    Tentative
    ENV 730
    Environmental Data Science in R: Introduction to Data Integration and Machine Learning         		  Malone
    Tu 2:30-5:20    		 Malone  
    ENV 800
    Energy Economics and Policy Analysis         		  Watten
    M,W 10:30-11:50    		   Faculty
    ENV 802
    Climate Finance         		  de Ruyter
    M 1:00-3:50    		        
    ENV 814
    Energy Systems Analysis         		Rao
    M,W 9:00-10:20    		   Rao  
    ENV 857
    Financing Climate Change Adaptation in Developing Countries         		Kurukulasuriya
    Th 4:00-6:50    		   Kurukulasuriya  
    ECON 331
    The Economics of Energy and Climate Change    		        
    EPS 274
    Fossil Fuels and Energy Transitions    		        
    EPS 725
    Geoengineering and Carbon Capture    		        
    ENAS 673
    Air Quality and Energy    		        
    GLBL 730
    Managing the Clean Energy Transition: Contemporary Energy and Climate Change Policy Making    		        

    Climate Impacts and Adaptation

    Course Fall 2023 Spring 2024 Fall 2024 Spring 2025
    ENV 581
    Transportation and Climate Change (Fall-1 August 30-October 13)         		Millard-Ball
    M,W 4:00-5:20    		          
    ENV 645
    Urbanization, Global Change and Sustainability         		Seto
    Tu 1:00-3:50    		   Seto  
    ENV 725
    Water, Energy, and Food Interconnections in a Changing Climate         		          Saiers
    ENV 734
    Biological Oceanography         		  Decker
    M,W 1:00-2:15    		        
    ENV 736
    Impacts of Climate Change on Freshwater Ecosystems         		Grimm
    Tu,Th 5:30-8:20    		          
    ENV 773
    Air Pollution Control (APC)         		Gentner
    M,W 1:00-2:15    		   Gentner  
    ENV 793
    Abrupt Climate Change and Societal Collapse         		          Weiss
    ENV 817
    Urban, Suburban, and Regional Planning Practice         		Kooris
    Tu 4:00-6:50    		   Kooris  
    ENV 828
    Risk Assessment & Management: Climate Change         		  Wargo
    Tu 1:00-3:50    		 Wargo  
    CDE 547
    Climate Change and Public Health    		        
    EPH 571
    Seminar in Climate Change and Health    		        
    EPS 140
    Atmosphere, Ocean, and Environmental Change    		        

    Climate & Society

    Course Fall 2023 Spring 2024 Fall 2024 Spring 2025
    ENV 561
    Energy Justice Seminar         		  Torres
    M 10:30-11:50    		        
    ENV 621
    The Ministry for the Future: Exploring The Science and Politics of Climate Solutions through Fiction         		        Sanford  
    ENV 642
    Environmental Justice/Climate Justice         		Torres
    M,W 10:30-11:50    		   Torres  
    ENV 761
    Negotiating International Agreements: The Case of Climate Change         		Biniaz
    M 1:30-3:20    		   Biniaz  
    ENV 850
    International Organizations and Conferences         		Boyd
    Tu 1:00-3:50    		   Boyd  
    ENV 878
    Climate and Society: Past to Present         		Dove
    Th 1:30-3:20    		   Dove  
    ANTH 791
    Paleoclimate and Human Response    		        
    ECON 432
    Economics of Social Catastrophes: Climate Change and Pandemics    		        
    HIST 459J (Yale College course)
    Climate Change and the Humanities    		        

    Practicums and Seminar Classes

    Course Fall 2023 Spring 2024 Fall 2024 Spring 2025
    ENV 632
    Intro to Social Entrepreneurship         		Chahine
    M 4:10-7:10pm    		     Chahine
    Tentative
    ENV 674
    Forest Ecosystem Health and Stability in a Changing Climate         		  Trotter III
    M,W 4:00-5:20    		        
    ENV 698
    Carbon Containment         		O’Rourke
    F 1:30-3:20    		          
    ENV 959
    Clinic in Climate Justice, Climate Policy, the Law, and Public Health         		Faculty
    Th 1:00-2:50    		 Faculty
    Tu 3:00-4:50    		 Faculty  
    ENV 960
    Urban Climate Solutions Capstone: New Haven Clinic         		  Seto
    Tu 1:00-3:50    		   Seto
    ENV 970
    Environmental Protection Clinic Policy and Advocacy (Follows Law School Calendar)         		Kysar
    Tu 12:10-2:00    		 Kysar
    Tu 12:10-2:00    		 Kysar
    Tentative    		 Kysar
    Tentative
    ENV 979
    Climate Solutions Capstone: Sub-National Actors         		  Klee
    Tu 2:30-5:20    		        
    ENV 990
    Climate, Animals, Food, and Environment Law & Policy Lab — Pre-Registration Deadline: TBD         		Kysar
    M 6:10-8:00    		 Kysar
    M 6:10-8:00    		 Kysar
    Tentative    		 Kysar
    Tentative
    Climate Change Illustration

    Learning Community

    There is a corresponding “Learning Community” for each MEM Specialization, where anyone interested in the topic can find related news, spotlights, colleagues, and events.

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